Founded and run by highly experienced MedTech executives, the VerAvanti team is leveraging past know-how gained from nurturing Verathon Inc., from startup -to global, multi-national status. The first step is to address market gaps in managing stroke and cardiovascular events by commercializing the Scanning Fiber Endoscope (SFE) technology.
Leadership
Gerald McMorrow, Founder and CEO
With a proven track record for spotting and commercializing scanning and imaging technology that can make a difference in the lives of physicians worldwide, serial entrepreneur Gerald McMorrow is launching VerAvanti. Previously, McMorrow founded and led Verathon Inc., to soaring heights as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, responsible for guiding the company’s transformation from start-up to a major international medical device corporation, before steering its eventual sale to Roper Industries. A recognized industry powerhouse, McMorrow was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year (2006, Pacific Northwest, Health Services category) and leveraged his early engineering experience and career into the high reaches of corporate management. McMorrow worked his way through school with the aid of the G.I. Bill and has Bachelor's and Master's degrees cum laude in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle.
Mark Kennedy, Executive Vice President US Sales
With an extensive career in healthcare sales leadership, Mark Kennedy is recognized for opening new capital equipment markets while hiring and nurturing sales teams to achieve year-over-year growth. Previously as EVP of Verathon USA Sales, Kennedy played a key role on the leadership team who propelled the company’s expansion into a worldwide by building long-term relationships with premier organizations such as Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Kaiser and John Hopkins. Mark holds marketing and finance degrees from Boston College, School of Business Management.
Luis Savastano, M.D. PhD.
Dr. Savastano is a surgeon-scientist, inventor and entrepreneur dedicated to advance endovascular and minimally invasive surgery through the development of new technologies and techniques. He is a hybrid cerebrovascular neurosurgeon and currently Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiology at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN. In addition, he is the Principal Investigator of the Mayo's Translational Neurosurgery and Biotechnology Laboratory which is dedicated to transforming clinical challenges into opportunities for breakthrough innovations. Dr. Savastano has had leading roles in technology development spanning the translational research spectrum from device conception to commercialization. He has conducted trailblazer research on SFE angioscopy and has pioneered its use in carotid arteries disease and stroke.
Clinical Advisors
Mark Reisman, M.D.
Mark Reisman is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington. He is also President of the Board of Directors of the Seattle Science Foundation and the Director of several cardiology programs throughout the country. Dr. Reisman has been the site Principal Investigator on more than 50 clinical trials and remains an active investigator on a multitude of trials with a focus on structural heart disease and coronary artery disease. As Director of Cardiovascular Emerging Therapies, he has a research interest in emerging technologies for the treatment of heart disease.
William Lombardi, M.D.
Dr. Lombardi is an associate clinical professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology, and the director for Complex Coronary Artery Disease Therapies in the UW Medicine Regional Heart Center. He is an expert in cardiac catheterization and interventional cardiology.
john l. petersen, m.d. mhs
John L. Petersen is Director of Cardiovascular Research at Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute and specializes in Interventional Cardiology. He attended the University of Washington School of Medicine, and completed his residency at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Petersen is not only a renowned Cardiologist at Swedish, he also spends his time working closely with Fellows and new research on the University of Washington campus, and is a member of the American College of Cardiology, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and American Heart Association.
Board
David C. Auth, Ph.D
Renowned scientist, inventor, businessman and serial medical device pioneer. Currently serves on several medical technology company boards, and Affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington since 1985.
Fred Moll, m.d., Auris health founder and ceo
Dr. Moll is a distinguished and prolific medical device entrepreneur. Prior to Auris, he founded three public companies including Hansen Medical (HNSN), Restoration Robotics (HAIR), and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). Earlier he served as a founder and medical director of Origin Medsystems, acquired by Eli Lily, and Endotherapeutics, acquired by United States Surgical.